Page 36 - FAMILY TIMES 23 JAN

FAMILY TIMES -The Family Edutainment Magazine - January 2023 Edition

Inappropriate Content
children may see online ads or content that are inappropriate for their age.
This is especially true for children who lie about their age to get access to
certain social media sites.

Time Drain
children sometimes spend so much time on social media that they don’t
have enough hours in the day for doing homework, reading, exercising,
sleeping, spending time with loved ones, or enjoying the outdoors.

What Can Parents Do?
It's important to be aware of what your children do online.
But snooping can alienate them and damage the trust you've built
together. The key is to stay involved in a way that makes your children
understand that you respect their privacy but want to make sure they
are safe. Tell your children that it's important to: Be nice.
Mean behavior is not OK. Make it clear that you expect your children to
treat others with respect, and to never post hurtful or embarrassing
messages. And ask them to always tell you about any harassing or
bullying messages that others post.

Think twice before hitting "enter." Remind children that what they post
can be used against them. For example, letting the world know that
you're off on vacation or posting your home address gives would-be
robbers a chance to strike. children also should avoid posting specific
locations parties or events, as well as phone numbers.

Follow the "WWGS?" (What Would Grandma Say?) rule. Teach children not
to share anything on social media that they wouldn't want their teachers,
college admissions officers, future bosses — and yes, grandma — to see.
Use privacy settings. Privacy settings are important. Go through them
together to make sure your children understand each one.